If you’re an at-home homesteading pro (or just starting out), learning how to make certain kitchen staples yourself instead of buying them from your local grocery store is a step toward financial freedom and total control over what you’re eating. Learning how to make flour from scratch can be helpful for mindful eating initiatives, or just a fun way to take pride in making the cookies or cakes for your next get-together totally from scratch.
Flour is an essential ingredient in the culinary world, used in recipes ranging from breads and pastries to sauces and soups. While store-bought flour is convenient, learning how to make flour from scratch can be time-consuming—but it is a truly rewarding experience. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of making flour from scratch, covering different types of flour, the tools you’ll need, and step-by-step instructions.
What Type of Flour Can You Make From Home
It’s important to understand the different types of flour you can create at home. The most common flour is wheat flour, which can be used to produce all-purpose, cake, or pastry flour. The process often begins with choosing the right grains, nuts, or legumes. For example, wheat berries can be used to make versatile wheat flour ranging from all-purpose to whole wheat.
About one third of Americans are avoiding gluten as best they can, and learning how to make flour from scratch can be a great step in increasing your range of gluten-avoidant dishes. If you are seeking gluten-free flour options, rice can be ground into rice flour, while oats can be transformed into a soft, nutty oat flour. Alternatively, almonds can be ground to create almond flour—ideal for baked goods that require a moist, dense texture. Did you know that chickpeas can also be transformed into chickpea flour, commonly used in Mediterranean dishes? Each homemade flour offers a unique texture and flavor, enhancing both the nutritional value and the overall culinary experience.
The Tools You’ll Need to Make Flour from Scratch
Depending on the type of flour you want to make, choose high-quality grains, seeds, or nuts. A grain mill is ideal for making flour, though a high-speed blender can still get the job done. You’ll also need a fine sifter to remove larger particles, and airtight containers to store the finished product.
Begin by selecting your raw materials. For wheat flour, choose hard or soft wheat berries; stores like Whole Foods will typically have these in the bulk section, as will other natural foods shops. When all else fails, check online. For rice flour, opt for either white or brown rice. For nut-based flours like almond flour, use raw almonds (or cashews). Ensure your grains, seeds, or nuts are clean before measuring—remember, as a pro tip, 1 cup of ingredients typically yields approximately 1.5 cups of flour.
Grinding Your Flour
If you’re using a blender, ensure it’s clean and set to achieve a fine, consistent texture. Place your measured grains, seeds, or nuts into the blender, start on a low speed, and gradually increase to high until the mixture resembles a fine powder. If you’re using a grain mill, simply pour your ingredients into the hopper and adjust the settings for the desired fineness.
Another pro tip: rub a small amount of flour between your fingers to ensure it feels smooth and powdery, with no noticeable grit. Once ground, transfer the mixture to a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Gently stir with a spoon or spatula to sift out any larger particles.
How to Store Flour Made From Scratch
After sifting, transfer your flour to an airtight container. Label the container with the type of flour and the date it was made. The beauty of learning how to make flour from scratch is that the final product doesn’t contain preservatives, but this in turn means you’ll need to store it in a dry place and use it within a few weeks. For longer storage, keep it in the refrigerator or freezer.
Troubleshooting your Homemade Flour
Adjusting Hydration Levels
If you’re just now transitioning from store bought sacks of flour to your own, hand-milled product, you’ll notice a bit of a difference in moisture. There’s a good reason for that. Fresh-milled flour tends to absorb more water than store-bought flour. If your dough seems too dry, try adding a little extra water gradually. Conversely, if things are feeling a bit overly sticky, reduce the liquid slightly. A common tip is to use about 3 tablespoons less water per cup of fresh flour compared to commercial varieties. If you’re making anything from a friendship bread to fresh cookies, you’ll need to adjust accordingly.
Nailing Consistency
It’s a little trickier than it sounds to make flour from scratch and have the consistency come out just right. If your flour feels too coarse, run it through your mill a second time on a finer setting (if your mill allows adjustments). If you’re using a blender or food processor, you might need to fiddle with the settings in order to get things where you need to be.
Consistency might present an issue once you’re turning to make your baked goods, too. When working with fresh flour, don’t add extra flour during mixing. Instead, wet your hands to prevent sticking. Allowing your dough to rest (autolyse) for 10–20 minutes can help the flour fully absorb water and relax gluten for better texture.
Enhancing Your Flour and Culinary Experience
The quality of your flour will depend on the quality of the grains, seeds, or nuts you use. Also, you have the option to use organic products as well. You can always make gluten-free flour by using gluten-free grains, seeds, or almonds. Don’t be afraid to mix things up and use different types of grains or nuts to create unique flour blends. For example, a blend of wheat and oat flour can add a lovely texture to baked goods. If you want to enhance the nutritional value of your flour, add ingredients like flaxseeds or chia seeds, during the grinding process.
Homemade flour can be healthier, as it retains more nutrients and fiber compared to commercially processed flour. It also allows you to avoid additives and preservatives. Making flour from scratch is a fulfilling process that empowers you to take control of one of your kitchen staples. Whether you’re looking to enhance the nutritional value of your meals or experiment with different flavors marking flour from scratch offers the satisfaction of a DIY homemade flour project.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is making your own flour worth it?
It depends on how you define ‘worth it.’ In some regards, the taste, nutritional value, and organic nature of making your own flour from scratch can be a huge benefit. Conversely, if the time and effort needed to grind flour is too taxing, it might not be. This is to say nothing of the potential cost of wheat berries, nuts, or oats as opposed to the price and convenience of store-bought flour.
How much flour does 50lbs of wheat berries make?
50lbs of wheat berries will make about 33lbs of wheat flour. This is based off of the conversion of 2/3 cup to 1 cup ratio of wheat berries to flour.